Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Family Procedure Rules definition

What does Family Procedure Rules mean? In practice, the Family Procedure rules are the procedural code governing how family cases are issued, managed and determined in the Family Court and the Family Division of the High Court in England and Wales. They are made by statutory instrument (Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955) and took effect on 6 April 2011, replacing the Family Proceedings Rules 1991 and representing the most comprehensive reform of family procedure to that date. The FPR prescribe requirements for applications, service, evidence and statements, disclosure, experts, non‑court dispute resolution and MIAMs, case management, hearings, orders, enforcement and appeals. They are...

FPR 2010 (England and Wales) - Overriding Objective, Active Case Management, Parties' Duties and 2024 MIAMs/Non-court Dispute Resolution Reforms

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Practice notes

Overriding objective

This Practice Note outlines the overriding objective contained in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) and explains the matters the court must consider, together with how the court is to further that objective through active Case management. It also summarises the principal concepts connected to the overriding objective.

Sets out the overriding objective within the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010).
Identifies the factors the court must take into account.
Describes how active case management advances the objective.
Summarises the key concepts underpinning the objective.

The overriding objective is a procedural code in FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, 1.1, designed to enable the court to deal with cases justly, with due regard to any welfare issues. Although the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 introduced the notion of an overriding objective, it was not entirely novel in family law and had been referred to in earlier practice directions...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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